Weight Watchers is a weight loss system based off of "four pillars of healthy weight loss," which are to eat smarter, exercise more, learn healthy habits and get support. The weight loss goal is achieved through a point system, in which different foods are assigned different point values based on the amount of fat, fiber and calories in the food. People are assigned a different point total for every day or week based on their gender, level of activity and a few other factors.
Step 1
Start at zero, and then add two if you are a female and eight points if you are a male. Nursing mothers start at 12 points.
Step 2
Add points for your age, decreasing as you get older. Add four points if you are between 17 and 26 years old, three if you are between 27 and 37, two if you are between 38 and 47, one point if you are between 48 and 58 and no points if you are over 58. The younger you are, the better you metabolize your food, allowing for more points per day.
Step 3
Weigh yourself, and then add the first two digits of your weight in pounds to your points total. For example, if you weigh 226 pounds, add 22 points; someone weighing 187 pounds would add 18 points.
Step 4
Measure how tall you are, adding more points the taller you are. If you are under 5'1", add zero points. If you are between 5'1" and 5'10", add one point. People taller than 5'10" add two points.
Step 5
Evaluate your lifestyle and how you spend your days. If you spend the majority of the day sitting at work, add zero points to your total. If you are occasionally sitting and sometimes moving around, add two points to your total. If you spend most of the day on your feet, add four points. If you do physical labor or hard work the whole day, add six points to your score.
Step 6
Tally up your points. The minimum amount of points for anyone should be 18 points, with the maximum capped at 44 points. Weight Watchers also allows for 35 flex points to be used every week at your discretion; you can either use five points a day on a dessert or treat or save up all 35 points for a night with a big meal and a few drinks.
Tips and Warnings
- Stay at or below your recommended point total to begin to lose weight.
Things You'll Need
- Scale
- Measuring tape
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